The body that advises which way the $1.6 trillion superannuation sector should vote on listed company issues has appointed as its new chief executive
Gordon Hagart
, the governance expert at the $89 billion federal government super fund, the Future Fund.

Gerard Noonan
, president of the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors, which represents more than $350 billion in retirement savings held in industry and government funds, said on Thursday that Mr Hagart would replace
Ann Byrne
, who retires at the end of October after five years in the job.

Mr Hagart will play a role in this year’s annual shareholder meeting season. He previously worked with the United Nations in Geneva, with a key role in creating the UN Principles for Responsible Investment, to which many Australian “all profit to members" super funds are signatories.

‘Australia has a world-class pension system’

“Australia has a world-class pension system and has become a centre of excellence in integrating environmental, social and governance issues into investment decision-making and the exercise of ownership rights," he said. “ACSI and its members have been in the vanguard of those developments."

Mr Hagart began his career as an investment banking analyst with Greenhill & Co in London and worked as an investment consultant in Zurich.

Mr Noonan paid tribute to Ms Byrne. “Many a chairman of Australia’s top 100 listed companies knows just how formidable and effective an advocate Ann has been for improved ESG [environmental, social and governance] performance in their corporations," he said.